Vessel ‘lost power’ moments before catastrophic collision
The cargo ship that crashed into the bridge lost power minutes before the collision, it has been reported.
Video footage shows the 948ftlong (300m) vessel’s lights going out seconds before the impact. Smoke is also billowing from the ship, which had been bound for Colombo, Sri Lanka.
An unclassified US Cyber Security and Infrastructure Security Agency report has stated that the ship “lost propulsion” as it approached the bridge and crew members rushed to alert Maryland authorities.
“The vessel notified the Maryland Department of Transportation that they had lost control of the vessel and a collision with the bridge was possible,” the report said.
“The vessel struck the bridge causing a complete collapse.”
The vessel was previously involved in a crash while leaving Antwerp, Belgium, in 2016.
Antwerp port authorities said the container ship Dali hit a quay in July 2016, as it tried to exit the North Sea container terminal.
Maryland Governor Wes Moore told a press conference yesterday that preliminary investigations pointed to an accident, adding that the bridge was fully up to code, meeting safety regulations, and that no structural issues had been reported.
The ship, owned by Synergy Marine
Group in Singapore, was less than an hour into its 30-day journey to Colombo.
The Baltimore fire department said it is “not yet clear” if there had been an oil spill, after reports of large amounts of diesel surrounding the Dali.
Singapore said it will “provide full co-operation” to the US investigation, adding that its Maritime and Port Authority will also look into the incident. The ship was chartered by the Danish shipping company Maersk, which said it is “horrified” by the incident.
The US Transport Secretary, Pete Buttigieg, said he had offered his support to the unified emergency response.